Archive notice: This article was originally published on September 4, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
At IFA 2009 in Berlin, Panasonic is presenting the world’s first “Full HD 3D” plasma home-cinema system. Combining a 103-inch plasma HDTV with a Blu-ray player capable of dividing Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) between both eyes, the new “Full HD 3D” plasma home-cinema system delivers lifelike 3D images at full HD resolution. Technological improvements in bandwidth and storage media make this possible, the company says, and by using special glasses synchronised with the HDTV plasma cinema, viewers can experience realistic 3D images based on twice the information volume of conventional Full HD images.
According to Panasonic, plasma technology is currently best suited to guaranteeing a genuine “Full HD 3D” experience. This is largely due to its ability to refresh at high speed and thereby reproduce multiple images without loss of resolution. The capabilities of Panasonic’s plasma displays are demonstrated fully in the development of the 3D home-cinema system: despite the doubled information volume required for the left and right eyes, Full HD resolution remains untouched.
The optical-disc technology developed by the group and the authoring-software technology conceived by Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL) enable the recording of 3D images - each consisting of one left and one right Full HD image (1080 pixels) - on a standard write-once Blu-ray Disc. Panasonic also implemented technology that can decode and play back the left and right Full HD image data stored on Blu-ray Disc in real time. According to Panasonic, this technology eliminates problems that occurred with earlier 3D solutions, including poor image quality (caused by combining the large data volumes of two images into one), reduced brightness, and the need for special line-by-line encoding of the material (which excluded the possibility of combining 2D and 3D material on one BD).
The company is also developing products and services for professional production of 3D content. Whereas manufacturers of 3D content have previously assembled 3D production systems by physically connecting different pieces of 2D production equipment, Panasonic is currently working on a “Full HD 3D” production system for professionals. It consists of a professional dual-lens P2 camcorder and a 3D-compatible HD plasma display. PHL and the affiliated PHL Advanced Authoring Center offer 3D mastering services. The Japanese group thus becomes the first company to offer both products and services along the entire 3D signal chain. Professional Panasonic equipment can be used to record and master “Full HD 3D” formats. Panasonic consumer products, including Blu-ray players and plasma televisions, provide high-quality playback and display of the 3D material.
With its technologies and postproduction expertise, Panasonic intends to expand the performance of its 3D plasma technologies continuously. This is intended to allow manufacturers of 3D products to assess the image quality of their 3D content quickly and easily. “Our technical solutions surpass current conventional 3D technologies. We promise to make this technology available to private users very soon as well,” explains Fabien Roth, Senior Marketing Manager, Panasonic TV Group.
Visitors to Panasonic’s IFA stand in hall 5.2 a/b can see the potential of “Full HD 3D” technology for themselves: the manufacturer is showing 3D material there and a trailer for James Cameron’s new film “Avatar”.
